Abstract

The issue of school admissions policy and practice in England is currently undergoing considerable scrutiny. This is prompted by identified weaknesses in the system and by the perceived failure of the system to bring about reform and change in school profiles and in profiles of achievement seen as desirable from differing perspectives.

The principal aim of this review was to put the situation in England into the international context by examining options and identifying assumptions challenged by admissions systems in three other countries. In order to do this, it was necessary to describe situations regarding admissions in England as well as in the three selected countries. The literature was reviewed to identify the issues surrounding admissions in the various countries and to relate the findings to the situation in England, and identify, where possible, situations which policy-makers in England might like to explore in more depth.